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One of Our Submarines
"[Young] immortalized his distinguished war service as a submariner in the bestselling autobiography, One of Our Submarines . . . [a] gripping memoir."--The Guardian
"In the very highest rank of books about the last war. Submarines are thrilling beasts, and Edward Young tells of four years' adventures in them in a good stout book with excitement on every page. He writes beautifully, economically and with humor, and in the actions he commands he manages to put the reader at the voice-pipe and the periscope so that sometimes the tension is so great that one has to put the book down."--The Sunday Times
"No disrespect to the big screen, but you can't beat a book for digging out the details. And the details feel even better if the author is someone who's been there. So, at least take the time to read Das Boot, the autobiographical novel by Lothar-G�nther Buchheim. And, for the British perspective, read One of Our Submarines by Edward Young."--The Mouldy Books
"He tells his story in a modest, clear, and amusing way that is a delight to read."--not too much
"In the very highest rank of books about the last war. Submarines are thrilling beasts, and Edward Young tells of four years' adventures in them in a good stout book with excitement on every page. He writes beautifully, economically and with humor, and in the actions he commands he manages to put the reader at the voice-pipe and the periscope so that sometimes the tension is so great that one has to put the book down."--The Sunday Times
"No disrespect to the big screen, but you can't beat a book for digging out the details. And the details feel even better if the author is someone who's been there. So, at least take the time to read Das Boot, the autobiographical novel by Lothar-G�nther Buchheim. And, for the British perspective, read One of Our Submarines by Edward Young."--The Mouldy Books
"He tells his story in a modest, clear, and amusing way that is a delight to read."--not too much
402 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1952
224 people are currently reading
241 people want to read
About the author
Edward Young
4 books1 followerSEE http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obitu...
AND
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2003/f...
ALSO From the back cover of the 1954 Penguin edition of “One of Our Submarines”:
Edward Young was born in Trinidad, West Indies, in 1913. He was educated at Highgate and at 18 took a job as office boy in a publishing firm, where he gradually became interested in printing and design. When Penguin Books started in 1935 he was production manager, he designed the cover, and drew the Penguin device. In April 1940 he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (R.N.V.R.), and four months later entered the submarine service, and was the first R.N.V.R. officer to command an operational submarine. After the War he joined Rupert Hart-Davis, who was then about to start his new publishing firm, and became the director in charge of production and design. … He is married, and has two daughters.”
AND
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2003/f...
ALSO From the back cover of the 1954 Penguin edition of “One of Our Submarines”:
Edward Young was born in Trinidad, West Indies, in 1913. He was educated at Highgate and at 18 took a job as office boy in a publishing firm, where he gradually became interested in printing and design. When Penguin Books started in 1935 he was production manager, he designed the cover, and drew the Penguin device. In April 1940 he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (R.N.V.R.), and four months later entered the submarine service, and was the first R.N.V.R. officer to command an operational submarine. After the War he joined Rupert Hart-Davis, who was then about to start his new publishing firm, and became the director in charge of production and design. … He is married, and has two daughters.”
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
August 13, 2025
Edward Young's career in the Royal Navy during World War 2 makes for an interesting read. Joining shortly after the outbreak of war as a RNVR, he was one of the first reservist officers to join the submarine branch and ended the war as a commander of his own boat, also being one of the first CO's out of the RNVR.
He served all over in submarines, from the North Sea and the Artic, to the Mediterranean and the Far East, fighting all the Axis Power's navies in the process. His writing is good, and he takes you into the submarine with him and along on their forays when on leave. Only negative of the book, is it becomes overly detailed in some places, but still a good read and very recommendable.
He served all over in submarines, from the North Sea and the Artic, to the Mediterranean and the Far East, fighting all the Axis Power's navies in the process. His writing is good, and he takes you into the submarine with him and along on their forays when on leave. Only negative of the book, is it becomes overly detailed in some places, but still a good read and very recommendable.
September 28, 2017
The high quality of prose in Edward Young's One of Our Submarines led me to look into the author's background. Not only was he a pioneer as a volunteer reserve officer in the Royal Navy's submarine force, but also in the paperback book industry. In the thirties, he worked for Penguin Books. He designed the instantly recognizable paper covers, with their color-coded bands: orange-white-orange for novels, green for crime, and pale blue for the Pelican series of books on academic subjects. Young went to the London Zoo and sketched the iconic penguin from life. He died in 2003 at 89.
One of Our Submarines is very well-written, colorful, humorous, and informative. It provides a wry, yet discerning, look into the specialized world of operations, navigation, and seamanship aboard a submarine. Young earned a strong Four Stars from me.
One of Our Submarines is very well-written, colorful, humorous, and informative. It provides a wry, yet discerning, look into the specialized world of operations, navigation, and seamanship aboard a submarine. Young earned a strong Four Stars from me.
January 27, 2015
Can there be any better book for those who are interested to know what day-by-day life, injury and death, was like on an operational British submarine during the Second World War? I wish I’d read this book some years back when I visited HMS Alliance at the Royal Naval Submarine Museum at Haslar, Gosport, England [ http://www.submarine-museum.co.uk/wha... ]. HMS Alliance dates from the end of that war; and usefully gives the visitor the sense of how little space there was in a British submarine of that period. How did the crew (a) physically fit, and (b) manage to sleep, eat, and fight in so confined a space? I still wonder at it all. Young perfectly describes the ‘pleasantly beleaguered air’ of the land at and around Haslar Creek (p.111). Even today that area feels strangely separate from the surrounding civilian urbanisation.
Young describes his training and operational submarine experience in the Royal Navy, from rookie to commander, with such verve for the kind of detail that brings that life to life. During an electrical storm he mentions the sound of hailstones hitting the sea; a sound that could be heard by the hydrophone operator even though the submarine was eighty feet below the surface (p.104)! He’s not adverse to recounting interesting meetings; such as that with Admiral Sir Max Horton who described some of his adventures in the North Sea in a submarine during the First World War! (p.139). How often does history ever feel as close as this? Neither does Young shy away from expressing a certain wistfulness for the significantly spacious submarines operated by the American navy (p.295 on)! Dates (month/year) are tracked throughout this Penguin edition: the left-hand page top right indicating the month in which the events of narrative took place; the right-hand page top left indicating the year. Very helpful. Why don’t more authors/editors do this?
Indeed Young explains life and service in submarines SO interestingly and well that I surprised myself how eagerly I lapped up the technical detail; even that from the occasional footnote; such as how to navigate by the stars (p.167). I now need to try that out for real! Thanks to the attention-grabbing accounts of active service seen in the Far East; which the excellent and detailed maps helped me to closely follow; I have newly acquired a geographical knowledge of the Straits of Malacca and the northern end of the Mergui archipelago.
Overall, this book is not only a compelling and fully immersive read, but also one which humbly reminds of the terrifying difference in scale between those wars we have termed World War in order to differentiate from ‘War’. But War or World War, my heart goes out to those very many individual submariners who did NOT live to see the declaration of peace that they so passionately and so very bravely fought for a free world.
Young describes his training and operational submarine experience in the Royal Navy, from rookie to commander, with such verve for the kind of detail that brings that life to life. During an electrical storm he mentions the sound of hailstones hitting the sea; a sound that could be heard by the hydrophone operator even though the submarine was eighty feet below the surface (p.104)! He’s not adverse to recounting interesting meetings; such as that with Admiral Sir Max Horton who described some of his adventures in the North Sea in a submarine during the First World War! (p.139). How often does history ever feel as close as this? Neither does Young shy away from expressing a certain wistfulness for the significantly spacious submarines operated by the American navy (p.295 on)! Dates (month/year) are tracked throughout this Penguin edition: the left-hand page top right indicating the month in which the events of narrative took place; the right-hand page top left indicating the year. Very helpful. Why don’t more authors/editors do this?
Indeed Young explains life and service in submarines SO interestingly and well that I surprised myself how eagerly I lapped up the technical detail; even that from the occasional footnote; such as how to navigate by the stars (p.167). I now need to try that out for real! Thanks to the attention-grabbing accounts of active service seen in the Far East; which the excellent and detailed maps helped me to closely follow; I have newly acquired a geographical knowledge of the Straits of Malacca and the northern end of the Mergui archipelago.
Overall, this book is not only a compelling and fully immersive read, but also one which humbly reminds of the terrifying difference in scale between those wars we have termed World War in order to differentiate from ‘War’. But War or World War, my heart goes out to those very many individual submariners who did NOT live to see the declaration of peace that they so passionately and so very bravely fought for a free world.
May 12, 2013
An autobiography is the story of someone's life written by the person that lived it. And for that reason, I tend to stay away from autobiographies. After all, the temptation for the writer to sculpt events and decisions is always at hand. And oftentimes the reader is deliberately (and obviously) led by the writer to understand the writer's life in terms of the writer's own beliefs. I need more objectivity than that in a supposed book of fact.
Edward Young, however, manages to apply a certain discipline to his writing. His language is calm and matter-of-fact but he also communicates the nervousness and excitement of his engagements in staid terms. He realizes that the facts of a situation will be more than enough to communicate the emotions associated with the events. He refers often to his logbooks and at times lets events be described solely from excerpts from his logs. And one of the most impressive aspects of his story is that Young describes his mistakes and shortcomings on par with all of the events that transpired during his service.
Overall, my impression is one of a competent and complete record of a submariner's life during WWII. Young comes across as an ordinary human doing the best job he could do during a time when humanity was out to destroy itself.
And lastly, this is a book fits into a collection of books that provide accounts of humans that journey out beyond the horizon and into the sea. This book fits right into place along side such books as Dana's Two Years Before the Mast and Philbrick's In the Heart of the Sea. All of these books depict real life at sea under conditions and times when courses were determined by land sightings, dead reckoning, and sextant sightings on the stars. They also depict lives that are completely dependent upon reason for their own survival.
Edward Young, however, manages to apply a certain discipline to his writing. His language is calm and matter-of-fact but he also communicates the nervousness and excitement of his engagements in staid terms. He realizes that the facts of a situation will be more than enough to communicate the emotions associated with the events. He refers often to his logbooks and at times lets events be described solely from excerpts from his logs. And one of the most impressive aspects of his story is that Young describes his mistakes and shortcomings on par with all of the events that transpired during his service.
Overall, my impression is one of a competent and complete record of a submariner's life during WWII. Young comes across as an ordinary human doing the best job he could do during a time when humanity was out to destroy itself.
And lastly, this is a book fits into a collection of books that provide accounts of humans that journey out beyond the horizon and into the sea. This book fits right into place along side such books as Dana's Two Years Before the Mast and Philbrick's In the Heart of the Sea. All of these books depict real life at sea under conditions and times when courses were determined by land sightings, dead reckoning, and sextant sightings on the stars. They also depict lives that are completely dependent upon reason for their own survival.
March 26, 2018
I first read this from my parents' bookshelves, back in my teens and found it really absorbing. Re-read it a couple of months back. It is the memoir of an Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve officer of World War 2 - he signed up for the war.
Before the war, and again afterwards, he was a publisher and certainly knows how to write. He chose to go into submarines and writes both of his experiences and about submarines. He writes clearly and vividly and brings across a sense of life aboard a submarine - the kind of people who were suited to serve in submarines, the living conditions, the technical complexities of submarines and how they were used tactically. It is informative but not in any way a "dry" technical book - he very much brings to life the varied people he served with.
By the end of the war he was commanding his own submarine, in the Pacific theatre.
Before the war, and again afterwards, he was a publisher and certainly knows how to write. He chose to go into submarines and writes both of his experiences and about submarines. He writes clearly and vividly and brings across a sense of life aboard a submarine - the kind of people who were suited to serve in submarines, the living conditions, the technical complexities of submarines and how they were used tactically. It is informative but not in any way a "dry" technical book - he very much brings to life the varied people he served with.
By the end of the war he was commanding his own submarine, in the Pacific theatre.
November 11, 2024
fuck yeah submarines
an interesting insight into a submarine captain and the journey to get there, in a weird way it inspired me
an interesting insight into a submarine captain and the journey to get there, in a weird way it inspired me
January 5, 2015
This memoir is very well written. The author was actually a professional writer by trade before and after the war. Young's account of the disaster of the HMS Umpire is well worth the price of admission here. If you have any interest in WWII subs, read this one just for the Umpire part. That said, the rest is good stuff as well.
January 28, 2018
Excellent. Interesting stuff and really well written. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Now one of my favourite books.
November 2, 2025
What:
====
An autobiographical book covering four years of the author’s life in the British submarine services during WW II. He rose from having never been in the peace time Navy, rather only a Naval Volunteer Reserve member, to becoming the commanding officer of the “Storm”. We get some insights into how these crews were trained, what the war was like for them in the Arctic, Mediterranean and later, in the Pacific, operating out of bases in the far east. (launching from what is now Sri Lanka as well as Australia)
Some High Points:
==============
The description of training is more in depth than I had previously been aware of.
The details about the use of the three inch deck gun were well written and gave a lot of insight into the wide range of attacks they had to consider versus the risks incurred.
The discussion of trim management (moving water from one tank to another to make the boat have both neutral buoyancy at the right depth and be level) to adjust to the ocean and what is on the boat or what is happening was handled well. Such discussions can become tedious if not covered well.
The comparison he makes late in the book about the US Navy submarines was quite interesting. (The USN had purpose-built submarines for the Pacific war that were better in about every way that mattered)
The author is surprisingly forthcoming about what he thinks were mistakes or misjudgments on his part throughout the book. Too often, autobiographical works tend towards rose colored glasses - not this one.
Reasons to Read:
==============
As these kinds of memoirs go, it is better than most. The author writes well and makes good choices about the content to leave in and what to skip over - for the most part.
You get a view of life in the British submarine force from training through patrol. The British experience was certainly different from the US or Germany and that’s what attracted me to read it. On that point, the book delivers on its promise.
If you like “I was there” kind of military stories, this one is better than most.
Reasons to Skip
==============
If you are looking for something that lands the emotional hits of “All Quiet on the Western Front” or “With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa” or “Das Boot”, this book isn’t it. The author is not Erich Maria Remarque or Eugene Sledge. Young’s written experiences were too narrow to capture the kind of scope and drama those books deliver.
We get only glimpses of how the author really feels the war, about what he’s doing or how he internalizes his experiences. The writing is relatively crisp and fact focused.
It’s a book of its time and place. (Written in the 1950s). Some readers might find the frequent use of the word “Jap” or “Japs” jarring.
What loses its fourth star for me is the abrupt ending. The epilogue doesn’t provide us any kind of wrap-up of himself, his career or even the war. The author seems at such pains to make the book not be about him, that we miss out on details that would add to the story (such as the rest of the war, his life after service, etc.).
====
An autobiographical book covering four years of the author’s life in the British submarine services during WW II. He rose from having never been in the peace time Navy, rather only a Naval Volunteer Reserve member, to becoming the commanding officer of the “Storm”. We get some insights into how these crews were trained, what the war was like for them in the Arctic, Mediterranean and later, in the Pacific, operating out of bases in the far east. (launching from what is now Sri Lanka as well as Australia)
Some High Points:
==============
The description of training is more in depth than I had previously been aware of.
The details about the use of the three inch deck gun were well written and gave a lot of insight into the wide range of attacks they had to consider versus the risks incurred.
The discussion of trim management (moving water from one tank to another to make the boat have both neutral buoyancy at the right depth and be level) to adjust to the ocean and what is on the boat or what is happening was handled well. Such discussions can become tedious if not covered well.
The comparison he makes late in the book about the US Navy submarines was quite interesting. (The USN had purpose-built submarines for the Pacific war that were better in about every way that mattered)
The author is surprisingly forthcoming about what he thinks were mistakes or misjudgments on his part throughout the book. Too often, autobiographical works tend towards rose colored glasses - not this one.
Reasons to Read:
==============
As these kinds of memoirs go, it is better than most. The author writes well and makes good choices about the content to leave in and what to skip over - for the most part.
You get a view of life in the British submarine force from training through patrol. The British experience was certainly different from the US or Germany and that’s what attracted me to read it. On that point, the book delivers on its promise.
If you like “I was there” kind of military stories, this one is better than most.
Reasons to Skip
==============
If you are looking for something that lands the emotional hits of “All Quiet on the Western Front” or “With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa” or “Das Boot”, this book isn’t it. The author is not Erich Maria Remarque or Eugene Sledge. Young’s written experiences were too narrow to capture the kind of scope and drama those books deliver.
We get only glimpses of how the author really feels the war, about what he’s doing or how he internalizes his experiences. The writing is relatively crisp and fact focused.
It’s a book of its time and place. (Written in the 1950s). Some readers might find the frequent use of the word “Jap” or “Japs” jarring.
What loses its fourth star for me is the abrupt ending. The epilogue doesn’t provide us any kind of wrap-up of himself, his career or even the war. The author seems at such pains to make the book not be about him, that we miss out on details that would add to the story (such as the rest of the war, his life after service, etc.).
August 1, 2020
It's rare amongst biographies and memoirs that you're transported to feeling close to the detail and essence of being there. 'One Of Our Submarines' is an exception that proves this rule.
Mostly fiction fills this gap. 'This Sporting Life' more satisfyingly conveys the experience of being in the middle of a professional game compared to most sports biographies and 'All Quiet On The Western Front' gives a sense of personal dread even beyond the excellent 'Goodbye To All That'.
In thinking why this mixture of bringing description and experience together is infrequent, it's possibly because the author needs to become vulnerable in expressing fears, insecurities, mistakes and doubts. But, of course, they also need to be good writers with imagination.
Edward Young was one of the first non-full time, professional Royal Navy sailors to command a submarine in World War Two (i.e. he wasn't a peacetime sailor). This account takes us through his first dive in a submarine, through his training and then on active service from as far north as the arctic and as far south as Western Australia. During this time he progresses through the officer ranks to the command of his own submarine, HMS Storm.
His background in publishing probably gave him the skills to write (he was a graphic designer and created the first Penguin books logo), so that's one reason this works so well. However, his willingness to share his thoughts, doubts and actually his humanity, makes reading this a pleasure.
What Geoffrey Wellum's 'First Light' did for second world war RAF fighter pilots, I think 'One of Our Submarines' does for second world war Royal Navy submariners. I can't think of higher praise.
Mostly fiction fills this gap. 'This Sporting Life' more satisfyingly conveys the experience of being in the middle of a professional game compared to most sports biographies and 'All Quiet On The Western Front' gives a sense of personal dread even beyond the excellent 'Goodbye To All That'.
In thinking why this mixture of bringing description and experience together is infrequent, it's possibly because the author needs to become vulnerable in expressing fears, insecurities, mistakes and doubts. But, of course, they also need to be good writers with imagination.
Edward Young was one of the first non-full time, professional Royal Navy sailors to command a submarine in World War Two (i.e. he wasn't a peacetime sailor). This account takes us through his first dive in a submarine, through his training and then on active service from as far north as the arctic and as far south as Western Australia. During this time he progresses through the officer ranks to the command of his own submarine, HMS Storm.
His background in publishing probably gave him the skills to write (he was a graphic designer and created the first Penguin books logo), so that's one reason this works so well. However, his willingness to share his thoughts, doubts and actually his humanity, makes reading this a pleasure.
What Geoffrey Wellum's 'First Light' did for second world war RAF fighter pilots, I think 'One of Our Submarines' does for second world war Royal Navy submariners. I can't think of higher praise.
August 22, 2025
Imagine joining the Naval Reserve as a probationary sub-lieutenant with no nautical experience other than as a yachtsman and becoming a captain of your own submarine within two years! That's what Edward Young did, joining the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in 1940 and becoming Captain of a British submarine in 1942. His first patrols were in the North Sea and Norwegian Arctic, then the Mediterranean around Malta and Gibraltar and then in the Far Eastern Pacific, based out of Trincomalee, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and Fremantle, Australia with missions as far as Sumatra.
'One of Our Submarines' describes his training and service, including the perils of patrol (from collisions to depth charges), the repetitiveness of patrols (particularly in seas barren of shipping) and the excitement of action when it finally comes. He was quite good at navigation and command but not so good with torpedoes, which seems fitting of a yachtsman with no prior experience with weapons. Young tells his self-effacing story with honesty and accuracy, quoting from memory, ship logs and even the submarine newsletter he wrote when captain on his ship 'Storm'. The book isn't quite as exciting as I expected because of his writing style but he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and Distinguished Service Cross and Bar for his gallantry, so don't let his modesty fool you.
'One of Our Submarines' describes his training and service, including the perils of patrol (from collisions to depth charges), the repetitiveness of patrols (particularly in seas barren of shipping) and the excitement of action when it finally comes. He was quite good at navigation and command but not so good with torpedoes, which seems fitting of a yachtsman with no prior experience with weapons. Young tells his self-effacing story with honesty and accuracy, quoting from memory, ship logs and even the submarine newsletter he wrote when captain on his ship 'Storm'. The book isn't quite as exciting as I expected because of his writing style but he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and Distinguished Service Cross and Bar for his gallantry, so don't let his modesty fool you.
September 15, 2023
I couldn't put this one down. A very interesting insight into the wartime training of a submarine officer and his rise to becoming CO of his own submarine through the 'Perisher' course.
Edward Young was reluctant to join as a Submariner, but the lure of a guaranteed place on a navigation course steered him into a career in submarines. He survived a sinking of one submarine, which must have been terrifying before his CO's course. He was initially posted to the Mediterranean and then out to the Far East.
The style of writing, having being written in 1952, is very accessible. Taking into account the time it would have taken Young to write the book and get it published, he was recording his experiences quite soon after the events and therefore they would have been relatively fresh in his mind and not too diminished by time.
I've only dropped one star as the book ends rather abruptly, with the ending of WW2. Otherwise, I can't fault it.
Edward Young was reluctant to join as a Submariner, but the lure of a guaranteed place on a navigation course steered him into a career in submarines. He survived a sinking of one submarine, which must have been terrifying before his CO's course. He was initially posted to the Mediterranean and then out to the Far East.
The style of writing, having being written in 1952, is very accessible. Taking into account the time it would have taken Young to write the book and get it published, he was recording his experiences quite soon after the events and therefore they would have been relatively fresh in his mind and not too diminished by time.
I've only dropped one star as the book ends rather abruptly, with the ending of WW2. Otherwise, I can't fault it.
July 30, 2025
I was afraid that this was just going to be a procession of events presented coldly one by one.
In the end I found it to be quite well written and held my attention until the last page.
One unfortunate aspect was the use of end notes which, on my Kindle, I either had to wait until the end of the chapter to read or to keep dodging back and forth between the notes and my place in the narrative.
In any event this account gave me a new respect for a branch of wartime service about which I was largely ignorant.
In the end I found it to be quite well written and held my attention until the last page.
One unfortunate aspect was the use of end notes which, on my Kindle, I either had to wait until the end of the chapter to read or to keep dodging back and forth between the notes and my place in the narrative.
In any event this account gave me a new respect for a branch of wartime service about which I was largely ignorant.
September 9, 2022
Completely opened my eyes to life on a British submarine in WW2. The author was a sailor and then captain on a submarine fighting against the Germans and the Japanese. The complexity and fragility of the vessels and the uncertainty about location and the enemy made for a stressful life. An amazing time and a bunch of very brave men on all sides of the conflict.
June 21, 2020
Excellent first hand account
Life aboard a submarine described by one who knew all the dangers, hardships, pleasures, and triumphs. Very straightforward, no drama or embellishment, just the facts recounted with candor and skill.
Life aboard a submarine described by one who knew all the dangers, hardships, pleasures, and triumphs. Very straightforward, no drama or embellishment, just the facts recounted with candor and skill.
February 23, 2021
Excellent
A wonderful, authentic, and exciting WWll adventure aboard several English submarines with the unsung very young heroes who won that war. It was an especially lovely read for a lifelong sailor.
A wonderful, authentic, and exciting WWll adventure aboard several English submarines with the unsung very young heroes who won that war. It was an especially lovely read for a lifelong sailor.
August 25, 2021
Not to be missed.
One of our Submarines is a thoroughly enjoyable diary. It is a nicely told, honest, factual, self effacing autobiography.
As a former navy man I enjoyed each and every authentic episode. Highly recommended to all readers.
One of our Submarines is a thoroughly enjoyable diary. It is a nicely told, honest, factual, self effacing autobiography.
As a former navy man I enjoyed each and every authentic episode. Highly recommended to all readers.
October 15, 2025
Educational
I never realized the royal navy saw so much action in the Pacific theater. It was thrilling being told through first person experience. I leaned so much I hadn't know about submarine warfare.
I never realized the royal navy saw so much action in the Pacific theater. It was thrilling being told through first person experience. I leaned so much I hadn't know about submarine warfare.
October 21, 2019
Was a great first hand account of time in British World War 2 submarines.
February 28, 2021
Good read
Almost like been,done that, no T shirt.. a pleasant info. Read worth’ the time.. would do subs as a carrier ,proper leadership.
Almost like been,done that, no T shirt.. a pleasant info. Read worth’ the time.. would do subs as a carrier ,proper leadership.
August 1, 2021
Not as much action as some similar books but amazing detail about life aboard and the operation of a submarine make this a must read.
July 29, 2022
Good One
I like reading true stories. It.read.like a.series of.short.stories. it.always kept my attention. A good mixture of facts about submarines and real accounts of battles.
I like reading true stories. It.read.like a.series of.short.stories. it.always kept my attention. A good mixture of facts about submarines and real accounts of battles.
August 12, 2022
A very interesting book, which was very easy to read
January 31, 2023
Very good read
A very informative and interesting book ,well written by Edward Young life onboard a submarine in the war must have been very hard B Z to the crew
A very informative and interesting book ,well written by Edward Young life onboard a submarine in the war must have been very hard B Z to the crew
December 27, 2025
Well written and interesting
Well done book about submarine in WWII. Most detailed information. Would recommend to those interested in naval warfare. From Norway to Australia.
Well done book about submarine in WWII. Most detailed information. Would recommend to those interested in naval warfare. From Norway to Australia.
January 1, 2026
One of Our Submarines remains one of the finest wartime memoirs from the Royal Navy's submarine service, a deeply personal, modestly told account by Edward Young, a pre-war publisher who became the first Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) officer to command a British submarine, HMS Storm, during World War II.
Young traces his path from civilian life and rigorous training in 1940 through early patrols in European waters to the intense operations in the Far East. His prose is crisp, elegant, and infused with understated British humor, vividly capturing the claustrophobic tension of submarine life: silent running under depth charge attacks, periscope sightings, torpedo firings, and the psychological toll of prolonged patrols in cramped quarters. He openly reflects on his own fears, mistakes, and growth as a commander, making the narrative profoundly human rather than heroic myth-making.
The book's strength lies in its authenticity and immersion, the technical details of diving, attacks, and evasion feel lived in, while the camaraderie and strain among the crew come alive. Young's background in design (he created the original Penguin logo) shines through in the economical yet suspenseful storytelling.
However, readers expecting dramatic tallies of sunken tonnage may find the later chapters underwhelming. Storm’s successes in the Malacca Strait and around Southeast Asia were real but modest: a claimed 3,500-ton merchant, a 554-ton army cargo ship, submarine chasers/minesweepers, and numerous small coasters, junks, schooners, and escort vessels sunk mostly by gunfire or demolition in shallow coastal waters. This reflects the broader reality of British submarine operations in the theater: operating smaller S- and T-class boats from distant bases, they faced sparse, fragmented coastal traffic—local vessels moving rice, ore, or troops—rather than the large ocean-going freighters and tankers that U.S. fleet submarines hunted on Japan's vital supply lines.
I must admit my disappointment at the end finding out that the spectacular kills were by Americans. Still a standout in naval literature and essential for understanding the British submarine effort.
Young traces his path from civilian life and rigorous training in 1940 through early patrols in European waters to the intense operations in the Far East. His prose is crisp, elegant, and infused with understated British humor, vividly capturing the claustrophobic tension of submarine life: silent running under depth charge attacks, periscope sightings, torpedo firings, and the psychological toll of prolonged patrols in cramped quarters. He openly reflects on his own fears, mistakes, and growth as a commander, making the narrative profoundly human rather than heroic myth-making.
The book's strength lies in its authenticity and immersion, the technical details of diving, attacks, and evasion feel lived in, while the camaraderie and strain among the crew come alive. Young's background in design (he created the original Penguin logo) shines through in the economical yet suspenseful storytelling.
However, readers expecting dramatic tallies of sunken tonnage may find the later chapters underwhelming. Storm’s successes in the Malacca Strait and around Southeast Asia were real but modest: a claimed 3,500-ton merchant, a 554-ton army cargo ship, submarine chasers/minesweepers, and numerous small coasters, junks, schooners, and escort vessels sunk mostly by gunfire or demolition in shallow coastal waters. This reflects the broader reality of British submarine operations in the theater: operating smaller S- and T-class boats from distant bases, they faced sparse, fragmented coastal traffic—local vessels moving rice, ore, or troops—rather than the large ocean-going freighters and tankers that U.S. fleet submarines hunted on Japan's vital supply lines.
I must admit my disappointment at the end finding out that the spectacular kills were by Americans. Still a standout in naval literature and essential for understanding the British submarine effort.
January 26, 2015
I read this back in the day when you could buy a book for a $1 at the used book store, and I read it several times each time I was more fascinated with it.
January 19, 2016
Gives the reader a tremendous insight into a life beneath the waves.
November 15, 2025
Really enjoyed this book, an easy read covering a unique perspective of World War 2. English submarines in the Pacific ocean. Very honest account that made me feel like I was there.
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